Commercial Roofing Types

Commercial roofing has evolved over the years to offer building owners more options than ever. Flat and low-sloped roofing comprises most commercial roofing in the country, and the choices can be confusing as they are often similar. However a roofing professional can guide you through the process of choosing the best combination of performance, price and long term value.

Traditional built-up roofing (BUR) derives its name from the building of a roof on-site using layers of base sheet, interply sheets and cap sheet or other surfacing such as gravel or liquid coating. Hot asphalt (bitumen) is the bonding and waterproofing agent between layers. BUR is suitable for most flat roofing low slope roofing applications.

Modifiers such as APP (atactic polypropylene) and SBS (styrene-butadiene-styrene) provide enhanced performance characteristics to traditional asphalt. When added to unblown (unoxidized) asphalt, impart either plastic (APP) or rubber (SBS) characteristics coupled with reinforcements, such as polyester (superior elongation abilities) or fiberglass (high tensile strength), they create high-performance roof membranes. The result is a BUR system with significantly enhanced performance capabilities for flat and low-sloped roofs.

Self-adhered (SA) roofing has made become increasingly popular for commercial flat and low-sloped roofing projects because of its reputation for being cleaner, easier and safer to work with than other low slope roofing systems. We offer the CertainTeed Flintlastic® SA. This product line is manufactured with premium quality materials, and the roof system specifications have been engineered to provide roofs that offer excellent longevity and performance.

Hybrid Self-Adhering Systems

Hybrid self-adhering systems are a combination of the modern SA roofing and the traditional. The base layer is self-adhered to the roofing substrate and the subsequent plies or modified cap sheets are installed by traditional methods – torch, mop or cold adhesive.

Cool Roof Solutions

The simple fact that white roofs reflect the sun’s heat and black roofs soak it in is the key to a cool roof. Today’s roofing technology goes beyond this and modern reflective roof products lower roof surface temperatures dramatically. A cooler roof means much less heat is absorbed into a building’s interior. Cooler interiors translate into greater occupant comfort and lower energy-related costs – and reduced demand for air conditioning can even allow a building owner to buy a smaller, less expensive cooling system.

Live Roofs

Live roofing is the practice of adding specifically designed roofing planter systems to a roof. Flat roofs are great candidates for live roofs. A live roof is the ultimate in green roofing and is aesthetically pleasing, creating natural views, conserves water, reduces noise and reduces building energy consumption.